Big questions for Westpac
I literally stood speechless in front of my TV as this advertisement played.
What was that, Westpac? You think it’s “easy” for us to ask “big questions” like “should women have basic human rights” and “should same sex couples have basic human rights” and “should we participate in imperialist wars overseas”?
The fact one of your hijacked film clips shows women protesting for the right to vote might have provided an important clue on that one.
You think those questions are comparable to getting a fucking tattoo? You think it’s funny to play on the significance of women’s suffrage by equating it with (to you) the silliness of women’s bodily insecurities?
You think people whose loved ones are in serious conditions in hospital are going to be relieved that at least you’re there to exploit their hopes … oh, and totally offer them great interest rates on their term deposits!
Are we really meant to be impressed that you think you have any kind of right to co-opt important moments in our history to make a trite little joke about “asking the little questions” about our money?
The biggest questions, of course, are rhetorical: How did Westpac manage to trump even BNZ’s bullshit moralising? When did banks who have been caught red-handed ripping off New Zealanders decide it was a great idea to market themselves as high-minded deep-thinking philosophers?
Why aren’t they marketing themselves on integrity, good customer service and decent rates and fees instead? I guess that one answers itself.
Ideologically Impure 
I agree that we should be asking the big questions about our money like:
Where does it come from?
Who benefits mostly from the creation of money
But I doubt asking Westpac will give any answers as they really don’t want us to know.
Greed is good!
Gordon Gecko is very much alive and well in our banks, and, unfortunately in our governments.
Price matters.
Values are worthless.
Key (and Wall street) rules.
YAY!
I honestly thought the ad was going to be for a university. It still doesn’t compute with me that it was for Westpac. Their appalling customer service will always override anything they do to try and attract me anyway.